Every fitness enthusiast is familiar with good old barbells and dumbbells. With just these two pieces of equipment themselves you can build a body that will make a supermodel drool or develop the raw strength and power that would even impress the local blacksmith.

When it comes to mma strength and conditioning, however, there is a limit with barbells and dumbbells to the type of power that mma fighters need.

With barbells and dumbbells, there are only so many power exercises you can do, such as cleans, snatches, or high pulls.

These exercises however are limited in terms of range of motion. In other words, you’ll notice that these particular lifts are all within the sagittal plane of motion – or vertical plane.

Mixed martial artists and combat athletes require development in power more in the transverse plane of motion – or any twisting movement that usually rotates from the core.

Punching, kicking, and throwing are all mainly in the transverse plane of motion, so it only makes sense to include these movements in your mma strength and conditioning workouts.

And This is Where Barbells and Dumbbells are Most Limited

Think about it; is it realistic (or safe) to swing or throw a dumbbell to the side, do a wood chop motion, or throw a barbell in the air while doing bench presses?

This is where medicine balls come in.

I’m sure you’ve seen them lying around your local gym, but you probably haven’t quite figured out how the hell an eight pound leather ball can develop knockout power, or just how and why to fit them into your mma strength and conditioning program.

Here are some recommended exercises you can (and should) begin adding to your mma strength and conditioning program right away so you develop the type of power that is required in throwing knockout punches and rib snapping kicks.

Wood Chops: Start with the medicine ball in front of your stomach with both hands. Extend your arms up and to the side towards your right ear, and then powerfully throw the medicine ball down diagonally (like you’re chopping wood) against the ground or the corner of a wall so that it is easy to retrieve. Work both sides. Keep your torso and head as straight as possible throughout the movement.

Side Tosses: Stand perpendicular to a wall with the medicine ball in front of your stomach in both hands. Now explosively rotate your body to the side as throw the ball with against the wall. Work both sides and keep your legs as stationary as possible through the movement.

Chest Passes: Lie down with your back flat on the ground and the medicine ball resting lightly on your chest with both hands. With a partner above you and ready to catch the medicine ball, explode the ball straight up with your chest and arms as powerfully as you can.

Medicine Ball Slams: Stand with your feet slightly wider then shoulder width apart with the medicine ball hanging by your stomach in both hands. Raise the ball up above your head, slightly raise up on your toes to build momentum, and slam the medicine ball down explosively with your torso and arms as one unit.

These are just a few good medicine ball power exercises you can utilize in your mma strength and conditioning workouts.

All you need to do is 3 or 4 sets max of 8 – 10 reps, with enough rest in-between so that each rep can be done as powerfully as possible.

Train hard, fellow fighters and fans.

Derek Manuel
MMA Strength and Conditioning